For the first time since 2004, Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen are available on a Nintendo console – the Nintendo Switch. While new Pokemon players can now easily experience these classic games, some longtime fans wonder why they weren’t simply added to the existing library of Game Boy Advance titles available through the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription. This release sets a precedent for how Nintendo handles retro games on the Switch and potentially the Switch 2, making it difficult for them to offer older titles differently in the future.
Nintendo and The Pokémon Company don’t often re-release older Pokémon games. The only previous examples were the original Game Boy and Game Boy Color games, which became available on the Nintendo 3DS. With the launch of classic games as part of the Nintendo Switch Online service, and especially after Game Boy Advance titles were added with the Expansion Pack, a great opportunity arose to bring these games to the Switch. Now that Nintendo has demonstrated that retro games can be released on Switch independently of a Nintendo Switch Online subscription, it’s possible we’ll see even more classic Pokémon titles available for individual purchase.
Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen’s Separate Nintendo Switch Releases Leave NSO Trapped Between a Rock and a Hard Place
Nintendo’s reason for releasing Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen as separate purchases, rather than including them in the Nintendo Switch Online library, is a bit strange. They simply said they wanted to offer a fun way to revisit the original Pokemon games in the Kanto region. This doesn’t explain why they couldn’t be part of the NSO collection, but many believe Nintendo didn’t want players to use the rewind and save features to easily get perfect Pokemon. It seems unusual to make these the only retro games sold separately, but now that Nintendo is willing to release classic titles outside of the NSO subscription, we might see more games become available this way.
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If Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen Can Be Released Separately from NSO, Other Classic Games Should Have the Same Option
There’s a unique reason why FireRed and LeafGreen are being released separately – Pokémon games heavily rely on trading and community features, unlike many others. But releasing more older games as individual purchases could be a good thing, as it would let players keep and play them even after their Nintendo Switch Online subscription ends. While Nintendo Switch Online uses retro games to encourage subscriptions, the separate release of FireRed and LeafGreen proves that one-time purchases for specific titles are definitely an option.
While the upcoming Nintendo Switch versions of Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen likely won’t have online features, players will still be able to trade and battle with friends locally.
Other Classic Nintendo Games That Could Get Standalone Switch Releases
- Other Pokemon Games like Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald
- Any Currently Available NSO Game
- Unreleased Games like Mother 3
Now that FireRed and LeafGreen are available outside of the Nintendo Switch Online library, it’s likely the other Generation 3 Pokémon games will be released similarly. This would let Switch players fully complete the National Pokédex, as FireRed and LeafGreen don’t include every Pokémon. Plus, other classic Nintendo and Sega games on the NSO service could also be offered as separate purchases, giving players a way to own any games they enjoy beyond the subscription.
Nintendo could create a lot of excitement by releasing games that haven’t been available outside of Japan, like Mother 3. They’ve done something similar before with the original Fire Emblem, offering it as a limited release to celebrate the series’ anniversary. Beyond special cases like that, many classic Nintendo games currently only accessible through the Nintendo Switch Online service should be available to purchase individually.
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2026-02-23 00:06